On 6 September 2023, the Fribourg Development Agency (FDA) unveiled the latest edition of Fribourg Network Fribourg. Speaking at the launch, which was held in the bluefactory innovation district, FDA Director Jerry Krattiger explained that the FDA chose to devote the 2023 edition of its annual business magazine to construction and energy efficiency because they are an integral part of the bioeconomy and a core element of the canton’s development strategy.

Jacques Boschung, President of the Bluefactory Fribourg-Freiburg SA board, reminded the audience of the ambition of this buzzing low-carbon ecosystem in downtown Fribourg to become a “beacon of innovation” in the fields of mobility, human science and, of course, construction, by championing pioneering approaches to the built environment, and energy and water management. According to Remo Daguati, President of the Swiss Location Promotion Association (SVSM), bluefactory already has many of the necessary ingredients for success, starting with convergent technologies like artificial intelligence, “When combined with services – another cornerstone – they constitute a winning formula for driving innovation and creating value.”

The launch of FNF 2023 also included a panel discussion with several representatives from industry and science who shared their thoughts on the latest trends, innovation potential and challenges in the building sector. Martin Gonzenbach, Operational Director of Smart Living Lab, pointed out that the research center’s expertise in the built environment of the future extends to user well-being, “This is about much more than the concept of what is usually referred to as ‘comfort’.  It considers aspects like the quality of the indoor air and sleep, and by extension human health, not to mention lighting, which has the power to dramatically affect our mood and energy levels.”

A bright and exciting future lies ahead

For Fabrice Macherel, Associate Director of Lutz Architectes, renovation is ‘exciting and essential’ and should not be overlooked, “If we are to meet the federal government’s 2050 targets, we need to either triple the renovation rate, which currently stands at 1.2%, or triple the energy efficiency of renovated buildings, thanks to tools like the Minergie-P label. There’s a lot of work to do!”

According to Agnès Petit, huge challenges lie ahead for the rather conservative construction industry. But the entrepreneur also sees equally huge opportunities, which makes her optimistic about the future of the sector, “We definitely have the ability to build better, and differently, by using resources more efficiently and reducing the carbon footprint of buildings. Ultimately, I firmly believe that the impetus also has to come from the public authorities.”

Jacques Pasquier, Managing Director of JPF Holding, concurred and also noted that standards and laws lag many years behind technology and innovation. He called for prolonging the planning phase because, as he explains, creativity, innovation and the development of project execution options take time.

“It is a fast-changing environment and things are definitely moving forward” was the takeaway message from the FDA director during his closing remarks. Thanks to the cutting-edge skills of Fribourg’s companies, combined with the canton’s massive investments and industrial dynamism, a bright and exciting future lies ahead for the construction and energy efficiency sector.